Based in Japan, Bridgestone Corporation is the world’s largest tyre and rubber company.
On 1 March Bridgestone will launch its latest sport touring range in Europe. The Battlax Sport Touring T30 radial will be marketed in ten front and 13 rear sizes. The Japanese manufacturer says the Battlax Sport Touring T30 is a “premium brand steeped in technology refined through the company's development of MotoGP race tyres” and is intended for use on medium to large motorcycles.
As of next year, the Bridgestone brand will be title sponsor of the Copa Libertadores, or Libertadores Cup. This annual international football competition, which is arguably the most prestigious club competition in South America, will thus be known as the Bridgestone Libertadores Cup through to 2017.
Both small and large operators are still failing to include the label in the sales process In July, more than 700 tyre retailers were contacted as part of research into the EU label’s role in the sales process. It so turned out that, during this voluntary period, the label didn’t register as a significant factor. Only four of the more than 700 retailers mentioned the label during the sales process – a tiny 0.6 per cent, a figure well and truly within the margin of error in any survey. On 1 November the voluntary period drew to a close and the sale of passenger car and truck tyres in Europe must now involve a label. In light of the label’s compulsory status, Encircle Marketing revisited the question of its role in the sales process.
A consumer website aimed at improving awareness of energy saving products has begun listing tyre models with AA EU labels. Comprising Pirelli’s Cinturato P7 Blue in three XL sizes – the first AA tyre on the market, launched at Reifen 2012 – and Bridgestone’s October-launched AA-rated Ecopia EP001S, www.toptensverige.se (Topten Sweden) has begun to list tyres among what it believes to be benchmark products. The Topten online service, present in 17 countries in Europe as well as in China and the United States, aims to make transparent and independent assessments of goods and services, and has included the four tyre sizes as its first foray into the product area.
Bridgestone’s Rome-based Technical Center Europe (TCE) has won the Italian “E.ON Energia Award” for distinguishing itself in energy efficiency during 2012. The award, first given by the power and gas company last year, was received by Gianni Lampazzi, director of Tyre Development Operations on 29 November 2012 at the “Sette Green Awards” event held at the Triennale Design Museum in Milan.
Last week Bridgestone reported its Turanza T001 would be fitted to the new Mazda6 in markets outside of North America. Dunlop Tires in the US has also announced the original equipment supply of its tyres to the Mazda6. The new ‘2014’ model (which despite its name will go on sale early next year) will come equipped with the Dunlop SP Sport 5000 in size P225/45R19. Dunlop is claiming exclusive fitment with this size, which indicates the supply deal covers the North American market only.
Repsol Honda’s Dani Pedrosa finished his most successful MotoGP season with victory at Valencia, having started in the pit lane after making a late decision to swap to slick tyres. He crossed the finish line in spectacular style, 37.661 second ahead of his nearest competitor, Yamaha Factory Racing’s Katsuyuki Nakasuga, gaining his first ever MotoGP podium. In third place was Repsol Honda’s Casey Stoner, ending his MotoGP career with a podium. San Carlo Honda Gresini’s Michele Pirro scored the best CRT result of the season by finishing in fifth place, having dared to start the race on slick tyres. Immediately after the MotoGP, Bridgestone kicked off developments for 2013, with a test somewhat compromised by continuing damp weather.
A sharp decline in demand for tyres within the European Union is Bridgestone’s stated reason for cutbacks in Spain and France; travel to Hungary, however, and the picture looks entirely different. The tyre maker states it will treble production capacity of passenger car tyres at its Tatabánya plant in the coming years. One hundred per cent Bridgestone Europe-owned local subsidiary, Bridgestone Tatabánya Termelö Kft, will invest approximately 267 million euros to increase daily capacity from 6,000 tyres (as of June 2012) to 18,000 tyres. The expansion project is expected to be completed during the first half of 2017.
Plans to implement a tyre recycling plan in South Africa have once again hit a sizable pothole. Only weeks after a challenge to the Recycling and Economic Development Initiative of South Africa (REDISA) scheme was dismissed by the Gauteng North High Court, an application submitted by South Africa’s Retail Motor Industry Organisation (RMI) has put it once again on hold pending further review.
Representatives of Spanish trade unions Unión General de Trabajadores (UGT) and Confederación Sindical de Comisiones Obreras (CCOO) have organised a march today in protest of planned redundancies at Bridgestone factories in Spain. This action is just one of a number of measures planned; a two hour strike is scheduled at its Puente San Miguel plant tomorrow, and Bridgestone workers intend to protest the job cuts on 25 November.
Russian mining and metals company Mechel OAO has announced the signing of five-year contracts for supplies of extra-size Bridgestone tyres with Japan's Marubeni Corporation. These agreements were signed by several Mechel group enterprises – Yakutugol Holding Company OAO, Southern Kuzbass Coal Company OAO and Korshunov Mining Plant OAO –on the sidelines of the official visit of the Russian Federation's First Deputy Prime Minister Igor Shuvalov to Japan. The deals cover the supply of Bridgestone off-road tyres for heavy dump trucks. The contracts cover the delivery of more than 5,000 tyres.
Bridgestone Corporation reports it is supplying its Turanza T001 as standard equipment for the new Mazda 6 (also known as the Atenza) in a number of markets. The Turanza T001 is being supplied in sizes 225/55R17 97V and 225/45R19 92W. In announcing the OEM supply deal on 20 November, Bridgestone commented that the Turanza brand offers “an excellent blend of performance and comfort.” In addition, the tyre maker says the Turanza T001 provides “excellent traction in both wet and dry – features that are well-suited for the performance of the new Mazda Atenza/Mazda 6.”
Bridgestone has renewed its contract with Ireland-based company Cork Rent-A-Van, which specialises in rental leasing and contract hire. The newly signed deal will build upon a long-running, six-year relationship. It will involve Bridgestone supplying a range of new and retread tyres over the next 12 months to cater for Cork Rent-A-Van’s fleet of 300 vans and trucks.
Sustainable materials company, Lehigh Technologies has appointed a former Bridgestone and a Reko International executive to drive the adoption of its micronized rubber powder (MSP) material across target markets. The addition of two tyre and plastics industry executives, Greg Henwood and Michael Kruzynski respectively, to the company’s business development team is aimed at expanding the company’s reach in the tyre, plastics and polyurethane markets. Henwood is a new sales director for Plastics and Polyurethanes, and Kruzynski has been appointed to the position of major account manager for Tire and Industrial Rubber.
PT Gajah Tunggal Tbk's nine month 2012 net sales grew 7.6 per cent to 9,381 billion rupiah from 8,722 billion rupiah last year. According to the company, the main impetus for this growth was “increased tyre demand in all categories in the domestic replacement…market.” However, profits were also assisted by a softening of historically high raw material costs in addition to double-digit percentage increases in domestic aftermarket sales.
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